Cause of death confirmed for Congressional staffer Regina Aviles who doused herself in gasoline and later burned

The cause of the death for the Congressional aide who doused herself with gasoline and later became engulfed in flames at her home in Texas has been released, Daily Mail can exclusively confirm.

Regina Aviles, 35, died by suicide by self-immolation September 14, the medical examiner’s office in San Antonio told Daily Mail.

The married mother-of-one, who was separated from her husband at the time of her death, worked for Congressman Tony Gonzales as the regional district director in Uvalde.

Sources who spoke with the Daily Mail on the condition of anonymity said that Aviles and the married congressman became romantically involved after she joined his staff on November 2021.

Gonzales did not deny the alleged affair when given multiple opportunities to do so.

The new information about Aviles’ death is consistent with the little information about the investigation the police in the small town of Uvalde had released about her passing – stating days after her death that she was alone in the backyard of her Uvalde home, and they did not suspect foul play.

However, more information about her death- including the autopsy- won’t be available for several more weeks, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office explained.

The case file is still being closed out, a representative for the office stated, adding that it wouldn’t be ready for another month or so.

Regina Aviles, 35, poured gasoline over herself before becoming engulfed in flames at her home in Uvalde, Texas, on September 13

Congressman Tony Gonzales hosted Elon Musk in September 2023 as he toured the US-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas. The aide he allegedly had an affair with, Regina Aviles, can been seen on the right of Musk

Aviles’s Sept. 13 self-immolation was caught on the surveillance system of her home’s security cameras, investigators have confirmed.

Aviles and her husband had separated after he learned of the alleged affair sometime this year, a source shared, but continued to co-parent their eight-year-old son.

Sources added he had installed cameras at the home they once shared, and that the footage from those devices captured his wife pouring gasoline on herself on September 13.

The Uvalde Police Department told the Daily Mail that the video has been turned over to the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab for review.

Aviles, known by friends and family as ‘Regi’, was airlifted to San Antonio but died in the hospital the next day.

When asked to comment on the alleged affair, Rep. Gonzales did not deny they had been romantically involved.

‘Regina Aviles was a kind soul who had a lasting impact on her community, which she continued to serve until her untimely death,’ a spokesman for Gonzales told the Daily Mail when reached for comment about the alleged affair in October.

‘To see political bottom feeders distort the circumstances around her passing is truly sickening. Tony Gonzales remains laser-focused on delivering historic achievements for Texas and condemns any attempts to misuse this tragedy.’

Gonzales, a father of six, did not attend Aviles’ funeral held on September 25, sources told the Daily Mail. He is pictured with wife Angel

She was found engulfed in flames at her Uvalde home (above) on September 13. Investigators determined she was home alone at the time

Aviles is survived by her husband, Adrian, and their eight-year-old son. Her obituary described her as ‘a devoted mother, a loving daughter, sister, and wife and a loyal friend’

Aviles’s mother, Nora Gonzales, described the incident as a tragic accident and said her daughter’s final words were: ‘I don’t want to die,’ according to the San Antonio Express News

Gonzales, a father of six, did not attend Aviles’ funeral held on September 25, according to sources.

It’s unclear whether Aviles’ autopsy will ever be made public, as the Uvalde Police Department has already blocked the release of public records related to the congressional aide’s death.

Just last week, the lawyer representing the City of Uvalde, acknowledged ‘the investigation by law enforcement now appears likely to be closed in the near future without resulting in criminal prosecution against any person.’

Despite there being no criminal case to disrupt, the city continued to ask the attorney general to seal the documents.

‘The fact that the death in this case resulted from self-inflicted injuries, whether accidental or intentional, is already publicly known,’ the attorney argued – adding that there is ‘no legitimate interest to the public.

‘The case concerns an incident that occurred [at] a private residence which resulted in the death of an individual who was not an elected or appointed public official, nor a public figure/celebrity in general.’

Uvalde’s attorney asks that all records in the case be ‘withheld in its entirety.’